Six MLS clubs were in preseason action on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Here's a rundown of the action:
San Jose Earthquakes 1, Seattle Sounders FC 0; Kino Sports Complex
Clint Dempsey played 45 minutes in his second consecutive preseason game with the Sounders, but the defending MLS Cup champions fell to the San Jose Earthquakes as they rounded out a week-and-a-half stay in Tucson, Arizona. Cordell Cato's second half strike sealed the win for the Quakes, who also wrapped up their camp in the desert and will return to the Bay Area for a few days before a friendly vs. the LA Galaxy in Las Vegas on Saturday. Meanwhile the Sounders returned home to Seattle on Wednesday, where they’ll spend a week at their Starfire Sports Complex home before setting out for Charleston, South Carolina for the Carolina Challenge Cup.
New England Revolution 2, Sporting Kansas City 1; Tucson Arizona
Kei Kamara scored in his third consecutive preseason game as the New England Revolution defeated Sporting Kansas City 2-1 to close the first leg of the 2017 preseason with a 2-0-1 record. Fourth-round SuperDraft selection Joshua Smith scored the winner as 19-year-old academy product Nansel Selbol struck for Sporting KC. Both clubs will return to Tucson for another camp, highlighted by the Desert Diamond Cup, later in the month.
Houston Dynamo 3, Rio Grande Valley FC 0; H-E-B Park
The Dynamo concluded their weeklong visit to the Rio Grande Valley with a friendly vs. their USL affiliates RGVFC Toros at the complex in Edinburg, Texas where the Toros’ impressive new home stadium is being built. Houston’s coaching staff tweaked the game's format, holding a 45-minute intrasquad game before facing off with RGVFC in the second 45 minutes. Erick 'Cubo' Torres scored the lone goal in the intrasquad game, while Mauro Manotas scored twice against RGVFC. Alberth Elis added a goal for Houston against the USL side.
LA Galaxy 1, Club Tijuana 1; StubHub Center
Galaxy forward Jose Villarreal scored the team's only goal of the match as they hosted their LigaMX counterparts from across the US-Mexico border. The Galaxy took the lead in the 52nd minute but the Xolos were awarded a penalty kick two minutes later and equalized from the spot. The Galaxy will move to Las Vegas at the weekend, where they’ll meet their California Clasico rivals the San Jose Earthquakes in a friendly at Cashman Field on Saturday night (buy tickets here).
